Book Category: Any Parent

Books that emphasize the importance of parents in children's lives, regardless of whether they are mothers or fathers.

We Belong Together

by Todd Parr

Todd Parr lends his distinctive picture book style to adoption in his latest book.  Every two or three pages, Parr writes “We belong together because …” and then fills in the blank in different heartfelt – and sometimes whimsical – ways.  The pictures show families of all different kinds (including same-gender and different color), and in a rare Author’s Note at the beginning, Parr encourages parents to change the pronouns in the text to fit their family.

This book doesn’t discuss the facts of adoption or even use the word “adoption”, but instead deals with the feelings behind adoption and wanting to be a family.  In this way, it deals with the essential truth of adoption better than any book that focuses on the facts of the matter.  This also makes it a good book for reading to very young adopted children who may not yet know the details of their adoption, and speaking as an adoptive father I was unable to read this book to my son without getting all choked up.

Excerpt:

We belong together because, you needed a home and I had one to share.

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• Teens Read Too

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; Library Binding edition (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316016683
• ISBN-13: 978-0316016681

Raising a Son

by Don Elium & Jeanne Elium
Guest Review by Lew K.

This is a great read.  It was written by a husband and wife team about their experiences and the experiences of others raising boys.  They each provide their own challenges and successes, also bringing in the stories of many other parents. The book is well organized with very specific titles, an additional resource list at the end of every chapter, and a 15+ page in depth index.

The book discusses 3 main themes:  what it means to be a male in today’s society, parenting as a team (applies to divorced and single parents too - it takes more than one person to raise a healthy boy), and the psychology of every major stage of development from newborn to twenty-nine.

It is written in a very personal format.  It is easy to read and to relate to.  The Elium’s are very clear in their call to hold parents accountable for being involved in the lives of their children.  Their insight delves into the world as we know it - everything from ADD to sexuality.  I love the numerous quotes from parents sharing their very personal struggles and joys.

This book has become a significant resource for my personal journey as a father raising a son.  I continue to reread it for enjoyment as well as gentle reminders and tips about the responsibility I have to my son.

Product Details:

• Paperback: 334 pages
• Publisher: Celestial Arts; 3 edition (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587611945
• ISBN-13: 978-1587611940

I Love You Just the Way You Are

by Virginia Miller

Little bear Bartholomew is not having a good day at all.  His ears are cold and he feels grumpy, his legs feel stumpy and his porridge is lumpy, just to name a few.  But through it all his big bear caregiver George patiently takes care of him, because he loves Bartholomew just the way he is, grumpiness and all.  Short and simple, this book nonetheless speaks a message of unconditional love between male caregivers and children.

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• The Reading Tub

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (November 4, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763606642
• ISBN-13: 978-0763606640

Raising Cain

by Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson

Raising Cain is one of a number of books that address the challenges of raising boys, but it stands out among them by eschewing both the glib Gender War rhetoric and the underlying political or theological agendas that often characterize other books on this topic.  Instead, it is both deeply insightful and full of compassion for the emotional lives of boys and men. Rather than offering a point-by-point program, the authors focus on various goals for raising boys, and make some suggestions on how we can accomplish them. It devotes an entire chapter to the relationship between fathers and sons, and a recurrent theme of the book is finding ways to effectively close the emotional distance between ourselves and our sons.

This book addresses issues for boys of all ages, and also discusses difficult topics such as depression, drug use and violence among boys.  Finally, all fathers were sons at one time, and Raising Cain is a book that can help us better understand not only our sons but ourselves as well.

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• Book Browse
• Parents Association.com
• The House Parent & Residential Childcare Worker Network

Product Details:

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (April 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345434854
• ISBN-13: 978-0345434852

You and Me, Little Bear

by Martin Waddell

Little Bear wants to play, but Big Bear is busy with things to do.  Little Bear helps Big Bear with the work, but soon is sent off to play by himself.  But just as there was a time for the Bears to work together, soon it’s time for them to play together as well. This story will feel familiar to parents and children alike, and reminds all of us to make time for both work and play.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (August 5, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564028798
• ISBN-13: 978-1564028792

Mr Bear’s New Baby

by Debi Gliori

Mr. Bear’s new baby can’t sleep, and won’t stop crying.  While Mr. and Mrs. Bear try their best to get the baby to stop crying and go to sleep, one by one their sleepless forest neighbors arrive to offer help and advice.  But it’s their own Small Bear who’ll have the answer they need.  This book honors the role of mothers, siblings, and friends in taking care of a new baby, while at the same time emphasizing a father’s role in parenting and celebrating the very special bond between a father and his children.  That’s no mean feat for a children’s story, and this book pulls it off with warmth and style.

Product Details:

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books (June 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843628023
• ISBN-13: 978-1843628026

ABC A Family Alphabet Book

by Bobbie Combs

This alphabet book features two-dad and two-mom families, both in the illustrations and text.  The families are shown doing all of the things that families do, and children will find the humorous illustrations very amusing.

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• ProudParenting.com

Product Details:

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Two Lives Pub (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967446813
• ISBN-13: 978-0967446813

123 A Family Counting Book

by Bobbie Combs

This appears to be a straightforward counting book, with one sentence for each number accompanied by wonderful artwork showing happy families in various settings.  Yet although not discussed in the text, the pictures depict all types of diverse families, including transracial and two-dad families.  A great book for showing diverse families celebrating family life just like all families, and for introducing what may be a sensitive concept to children as a subtext rather than by overt discussion.

Excerpt:

One family going for a ride.
Two houses with families inside.
Three books waiting to be read.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Two Lives Pub (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967446805
• ISBN-13: 978-0967446806

The Family Book

by Todd Parr

Books by Todd Parr (creator of the Discovery channel TV show Toddworld) are always about imparting positive messages to children, and this one is no exception.  All about the diversity of families, this book mixes the ordinary (“Some families look alike”) and the outrageous (“Some families look like their pets”) to reinforce the message that there are all kinds of families, including families which are transracial, adoptive, stepfamilies, two-dad, and single parent.  Most importantly, it stresses not only the differences between families but the similarities as well.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; 1st edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316738964
• ISBN-13: 978-0316738965

You Are My I Love You

by Maryann Cusimano

“I am your parent; you are my child …” opens this book showing the love between a teddy bear parent and their young child.  The scenes between them are universal, and will be instantly recognizable to any parent and child.  Special bonus: ask your child to try to find the toy duck on every page!

Product Details:

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (April 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039923392X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399233920

The Journey Home from Grandpa’s

by Jemima Lumley

Filled with bright and colorful pictures, this book is all about a car trip home from Grandpa’s. Grandpa doesn’t appear; instead the story focuses on the many sights on the way home – helicopters, trains, barges, and so on. The rhyming and repetitive nature of the story make this a very good book for young children, especially those who are learning their colors.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Paperback: 24 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846860261
• ISBN-13: 978-1846860263